Not
a pond or park fountain
in sight, but these two stars of Love Actually appear ready to grapple
for the cameras’ benefit in New York at the world premiere of Love
Actually. firth.com
was there to experience first hand the heady atmosphere of a film
premiere
that could not be dampened by something as insignificant as the
weather.
Nearly all the film’s ensemble cast attended, but it was clear that the
fans crowding into the tent were there to see and cheer on Colin. Even
though the US infotainment shows provided a distorted view of the Red
Carpet
activities, PEOPLE magazine appears to have taken notice, with its
article,
“Who’s the Sexier Brit?”:

Hugh Grant might be Hollywood's
most popular British hunk, but the female fans who gathered outside the
red carpet at the Love Actually premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in New
York City begged to differ. The ladies saved their biggest swoons for
another
British actor: Grant's costar Colin Firth.

The roar was deafening as Firth
emerged on the red carpet in a black Richard James suit and a white
button-down
shirt with the top couple of buttons undone. When PEOPLE asked Firth if
he expected all the adoration, he said, "Not at all. It's pretty
stunning
actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few
people
back home."

Grant, meanwhile, seemed to take
his position as second fiddle in stride. Asked by PEOPLE whether he
felt
he received the appropriate reaction from the crowd, he joked, "Well, I
could do with a little more noise."

Accurate, but the suit was blue actually.

Running the gauntlet
from the loud and boisterous bullpen of freelance photographers at the
entrance, who demanded poses from each and every celebrity, to the
broadcast journalists, who held court with raised platforms and
blindingly bright lights to record the sound bites broadcast the next
day, Colin—nearly the last to arrive—cut short his interviews in order
to cross the carpet and satisfy his fans. As in the past, Colin ensured
that every fan who wanted an autograph got one before he was hurried
into the theater. Though he carefully danced around (a precipitous
raindance, ladies?) answering any questions about future projects,
there were numerous opportunities to take photographs and speak with
him if desired.

Pretend
rival, Hugh Grant, followed in Colin’s wake with the fans. He met with
some very good- natured kidding, while he was signing, and rose to the
occasion by responding “in character,” proving himself to be a good
sport. Asked by a fan, “Hugh, so what was it like working with Colin
Firth?" he responded, “Bloody Colin,” then he smirked, grabbed a copy
of the book Girl With a Pearl Earring to autograph, and told the fan,
"So glad that you could make it here tonight."

Girl
With
a Pearl Earring Screening and Q&AJacob Burns Film
Center, Pleasantville, NY,
November 11, 2003

The
stars of Girl With a Pearl Earring
participated in a Q&A session, moderated by former NY Times film
critic
Janet Maslin at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York,
on Tuesday, November 11, 2003. Several Drool ladies were in attendance
and reported on the event and supplied photographs exclusively to
firth.com.

"He spoke eloquently, gave examples,
told an hilarious anecdote, mugged, covered his face while peeking out
between his fingers. And all this time looking me straight in the eye.
The people around us were commenting on how funny and warm he was. I
was
having a "near death experience." (Pauline)

"I opened the door to the lobby
and HE was standing there smiling and posing for pictures and signing
autographs
for the theater staff! And I think I went into shock. It seemed so
unreal
like it couldn't possibly be him right there and I didn't want to stare
and gawk and act all uncool, so I just went past him and went to the
restroom..."
(Joann)

"He said the only painting that
comes close to being a self-portrait is one in which a woman is sitting
with her back to us, her face reflected in a mirror...A smidgen of
easel
and what he said was Vermeer’s toe, was the extent of his
self-portrait.
So that was the extent of his inspiration for Vermeer. A toe. It was
rather
amusing the way he discussed it. I can’t capture that." (Dorine)